Zuma promises electricity for all informal settlements

President Jacob Zuma promised on Thursday that all informal settlements would have electricity in the next five years.

Zuma, who is also president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), made the promise while addressing a crowd at Thembelihle informal settlement, southwest of Johannesburg in a bid to seek votes for the ANC in the local government elections, scheduled for August 3.

Thembelihle is one of the impoverished areas with no water, electricity or toilets. The place has illegal electricity connections crossing roads and overhead, posing danger to the local people. There have been reports about children being electrocuted while playing in the area.

"I am glad the Mayor (of Johannesburg Parks Tau) said every informal settlement in Johannesburg will have electricity in five years time. In the next five years, every citizen of Johannesburg will have electricity authorised and connected by the government. People have been connecting themselves. We do not want to criminalise poverty by saying it was an illegal connections," Zuma said.

Zuma said the poor should not be marginalised in the country.

James Mgandi, a local resident, said they are grateful with the provision of electricity which will improve their lives and help reduce crime.

"We are robbed at night because it's dark here and we think this will end when there is electricity. We also think our children will no longer be shocked to death. Women were also shocked while putting clothes on the wire to dry up. We are grateful with what the government has done and it will definitely change our lives," Mgandi said.

However, the Thembelihle Crisis Committee dismissed the electrification of the area as an election campaign gimmick.

Bhayiza Miya, who has led violent protest in the area, told Xinhua that the government's help is coming late.

"As you see I lost six teeth in one of the protests. The police beat and arrested us when we asked the government to provide service like water, electricity and sanitation. We appreciate there is electricity in some parts but we question the timing of the provision when we are near elections," he said.

The ANC and the opposition parties are criss-crossing the country canvassing for votes.

Also on Thursday ANC General Secretary Gwede Mantashe was in Eastern Cape while the party's Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize went to Northern Cape to seek votes. Endit